Taekwondo fund requests probed

The All Japan Taekwondo Association improperly collected more than ¥20 million from officials of the national team, who are paid via government subsidies, over a four-year period through fiscal 2010, sources said.

Senior association officials asked coaches and medical staff to hand over cash because of financial problems within the association, the sources said Friday.

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry covers two-thirds of the payroll for the national team’s staff, with the rest provided by the association. The Japanese Olympic Committee is investigating the matter.